Known conveyors for transporting load carriers operate as roller conveyors or chain conveyors, depending on the type of load carriers which are to be transported. In the case of pallet conveyors, use is made predominantly of roller conveyors, in particular if the pallets are transported in their longitudinal direction. If the pallets are transported in the transverse direction, chain conveyors are usually used. Both conveying principles have disadvantages both for the manufacturer and for the operator of the installations.
Since the manufacturer often has to provide for both the conveying principles, that is to say for conveying in the longitudinal and transverse directions, in conjunction with a multiplicity of drive variants for which provision has to be made, the installations may become very expensive. As a result of the large spacing between rollers in roller conveyors, the pallets are subjected to pronounced loading and, over the long term, they become pliable since the nails which hold the pallet parts together loosen as the pallet runs over the rollers.
The conveyors, in particular the chain conveyors, make a lot of noise. Moreover, for drive purposes, chain conveyors require high levels of motor power since the chains are borne with friction. In addition, the chains may have to be constantly oiled, and this contaminates the pallets, for which reason the use of chain conveyors is not permitted in many branches of industry (e.g. the automotive sector). Furthermore, the articles conveyed are also subjected to pronounced loading as they are transported. It is also the case with chain conveyors that it is necessary to provide a large number of drive and transmission variants, which ultimately has an adverse effect on the price and the cost-effectiveness. Nevertheless, at present, roller conveyors are used predominantly for conveying pallets longitudinally, while the chain conveyors are reserved predominantly for conveying the pallets transversely.